Where to start? Well, you could start by purchasing just
an ordinary black pen with a fibre tip. These are
stocked in all stationers, art shops etc, they are very
cheap, but they will do the job.

They are so easy to carry around and will achieve many
different strokes. Depending, of course, on how much
pressure you apply to the nib itself. As for subject
choice to draw, probably something small to start with.
Leaves are good for the detail, eggs, pebbles or stones
from the garden or beach, even shells. Anything like
this would do nicely.

Now you need to create a form and lay a texture. What do
we mean by this? You can lay a few dots, lines, dashes,
all with more or less pressure giving a rough outline.
For example, with your marks close together it will
appear darker in intensity. If you want it really dark
you can Cross Hatch.

What is Cross Hatching? This is when you draw a set of
lines, then do another set of lines across them, going
the other way. This will give you very dark areas. You
can also obtain a rounded effect by making it darker on
any dip of a curve of any sort and then lighter as it
comes out of the curve itself.

How about adding a wash to your work! Pen and Wash, you
will find, works well on quite a few types of paper.
Pens are okay on smooth or shiny surface paper. Washes
look good on heavier grained papers.

So, now you have done your sketching with your pen, now
for paints. Block watercolour paints are ideal diluted
with water. Keep your wash thin, otherwise you may block
the lines of your drawing. Remember the light will
reflect from the white paper.

Some people use water soluble pens for the original line
drawing so it will seep into the wash. As for paints, if
you use block paints, these will slot into your palette.
This is sensible as you can always replace them. These
palettes are ideal as you can also mix your paint on
them, have them at your side, enabling you to work
quickly.

Washes are not needed to be particularly accurate. When
one colour runs into another, it can often add to the
effect and become an advantage. Mistakes with pen and
ink are a bit of a problem. It does not work to put more
layers of paint on, as the paint itself, you could say,
is translucent.

You can sometimes amend your work with a grainy ink
rubber, but do wait until your paint is dry. Do not be
heavy handed or it will take away the surface and mess
the ink and paint up. So remember, a light touch is
needed with the rubber. Leave some white, unpainted,
areas on your work to give a bit of contrast!

Pens and Ink

By Peter Gitundu

The word pen is derived from a Latin word, 'Penna', that
means feather. They assist us in all our endeavors to
transfer some colored liquid used for writing purposes
to paper in the form of drawing or writing. From this we
can see that these writing instruments cannot be used in
isolation from the ink. They come in many different
sizes, designs and shapes and thus have acquired
different names depending on these characteristics. We
have quite a number of these varied writing instruments
like the ballpoint, fountain, roller ball, felt and
porous among many more.

The liquid used together with the writing instruments
comes in different shade of different colors like black,
blue, green and red. Pen and Ink is a unique method of
writing and drawing at the same time, a method that uses
this tool instead of the usual drawing brush. You will
find it to be quite an interesting activity because the
result of the artwork you achieve looks like some
overlapping sketches.

This concept is what is commonly used for the art of
calligraphy. Calligraphy is some form of artistic work
that is considered to be beautiful and skillful. If you
combine different writing tools and different liquid
colors, you will be amazed at the result you will
achieve. Different tools will give you some varied lines
that will add to the general outlook.

The history of the writing tool and the liquid artwork
in the western world dates back to the 9th century by
the Winchester and Canterbury. They used expressive
figures and animals to represent beauty. In China and
Korea, the pen and ink culture was so much a part of the
people's lives between 1644 and 1912. It still a common
phenomenon in the modern world.

Fountain Pens And Ink - How To Fill And Care For Your
Fountain Pen

By James R Young

Fountain pens take us back in time and let us blissfully
remember a life that wasn't so given - and times that
were not so stressful. When we use a fountain pen to
write a letter to one whom we hold dear, it takes on
special meaning to him or her upon reception. It holds
more power than a commonly-written letter. The verse
there is attention-grabbing and demanding of respect.
Words written with a fountain pen are evident, and they
display magic in every syllable.

Collecting and utilizing fountain pens is an activity
that vast amounts of people around the world are
extremely fond of. But there are rules - always rules!
If you want to maximize your enjoyment of your fountain
pen collectibles, you must know how to care for them
properly. Many collector fountain pens demand a heavy
price tag and they should be looked after as such. Here
is your guide to best care for and maintain your set of
valuable fountain pens:

Only converters or piston fountain pens can be filled
from a bottle of ink. To fill, depress the piston fully
and submerge the entire nib into the ink. Turn the end
of the converter or barrel so that the ink is drawn into
the pen's reservoir. You should repeat this process a
few times to ensure that you getting the most ink
possible into the reservoir.

If you wish to use disposable ink cartridges, you need a
fountain pen that does not have a piston filler. Simply
remove the converter and push the cartridge into place
until you hear it snap in. Mate the pen's nib section
with small ball or barrier of plastic. When you position
the cartridge correctly, it will snap in and puncture
its end. Now your ready to write!

You should clean your fountain pens every time that you
decide to change either the color or brand of your
ink.If you are cleaning a converter or piston type pen,
simply submerge the pen in water and then draw the water
into and push it out of the ink reservoir until it runs
clear. If you use a cartridge fountain pen, simply
remove and discard the used cartridge and run water
through the nib feeding mechanism. Let it continue to
run through the nib until it runs clear. Now, sit your
fountain pen on an absorbant towel with the nib making
contact. This will draw out any water or moisture that
may remain inside of your pen.

Do not use soap or cleansers for fountain pen cleaning.
If you feel that your pen requires more cleaning than
described here, it is best to send it to the
manufacturer for a cleaning by professionals.

Always protect the nib of your fountain pens when
transporting them or just carrying them with you. Most
quality fountain pens come with a carrying case. Try to
always face the nib upwards when in motion. Protect it
gently and don't allow a lot of bouncing around.

Fountain pens love usage! They need to be feel needed.
Use your pen regularly to keep it in great shape.Without
usage, the ink will begin to dry up inside of the
reservoir. It will coagulate and become difficult to
clean. It will also tend to break loose when you do use
your pen and cause skips, smears and smudging. The rule
of thumb is to use your fountain pen at least once a
week or simply rinse it out for extended storage.

Fountain pens are wonderful writing utensils, keepsakes
and gifts! Take good care of your and it will literally
last forever.

A Passion for Pens is a specialist UK provider of fine
writing implements from major manufacturers.

Different Visual Arts Materials

By Che Mayo Guevara

Artists create images by using many types of materials -
paint, pencil, charcoal, pastels and ink, to name a few.

PAINTING
Painters have many kinds of paint to choose from. All
paints are made with a colored powder known as pigment,
which is mixed with a liquid base to form the paint.
When the base dries, it acts like glue to sick the
pigment to the canvas.

Tempera Paint - uses a base made of egg yolks. It dries
quickly with the smooth matte finish and retains its
color for a long time - which is a good thing, since
tempera paint has been used for thousands of years.
Example: Tempera painting by Sandro Botticelli.

Water Colors - made by mixing pigment in water, have
also been used by artists from all over the world in
various forms since ancient times.

Oil Paints - uses oil as a base and has a thick
consistency. It has been around for hundreds of years
and has been used for many famous paintings. Oil paint
can create highly detailed and rich images, but it takes
a long time to dry and tends to darken and yellow with
age. Example: Oil painting by Edouard Manet.

Acrylic - is a much new type of paint. Acrylic paint
uses a synthetic base and dries faster than oil, but it
cannot be as easily altered or blended on the canvas.

While painting is most commonly done with a brush, many
artists have also painted with other objects, including
their fingers, a palette knife and air brushes, or even
throw paint at the canvas.

OTHER METHODS
The ordinary pencil is used by many artists and can
create a wide range of shading and detail in drawings.
Different kinds of pencils produce darker, lighter,
softer or finer lines - and even different colors. An
eraser can also come in handy.

Charcoal - is great for sketches for shading large areas
of a drawing quickly. It can provide a strong, dark
line, but also smudges easily. Example: Charcoal
painting by Albrecht Durer.

Pastels - have existed for hundreds of years and can be
used to create brilliant colors or subtle textures. The
pastel itself is almost like crayon or piece of chalk,
made of pigment held together with a binding material.
Example: Pastel painting by Edgar Degas.

Pen and Ink - in the hand of a skillful artist, pen and
ink can be used to create quick sketches, detailed line
drawing and more. Example: Pen and Ink painting by Henri
de Toulouse-Lautrec.